Today , Scotland ’s Isle of Skye is a picturesque tourist destination . But 170 million year ago , it was home to one of the most iconic dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth . AsThe Guardianreports , palaeontologist have found prehistoric footprint on the island that are believed to have fare from astegosaurus .
As investigator from the University of Edinburgh bill in their young study published in the journalPlos One , the discovery differentiate the first evidence ofstegosauruson the Isle of Skye . The tracks , which were found in sedimentary rock and roll on the east side of the island , are roughly the size of it of Citrus paradisi . They play along a line stretch several pes , with a aright - get out chronological sequence reflecting the gait of a four - legged animal . The shape of the prints themselves — larger , triangular back foot and slightly smaller front ace — gibe the skeleton of the armour - platedstegosaurus . If they do belong tostegosaurus , the 170 - million - year - sure-enough uncovering " correspond one of the oldest fossil disk of this major dinosaur group from anywhere in the world , " the researchers write .
Thestegosaurusmade up just part of the recent Isle of Skye discovery . Paleontologists also found print with three - toes and claws from theropods ( the chemical group of carnivore that includedT. Rex ) , and stubby three - toed tracks potentially belong to ornithopod dinosaur like duck’s egg - bill dinosaur . all in all , 50 new footprintfossilswere found .
The Isle of Skye has long been known as ahotspotfor dinosaur continue . During the Middle Jurassic catamenia , the area had a muddy , semitropic climate that digest a vivacious wildlife population . The location where these in style track were discovered was a mudflat fringe a lagoon 170 million years ago . The mudflats were likely only around for a brief time before they were catch up with by the lagoon , indicating the species make up the lot of prints occupy the area around the same time . The investigator write , " As a final result of this diversity , we can infer that a thriving community of dinosaur lived in and near the subtropical lagoons of Middle Jurassic Scotland . "
[ h / tThe Guardian ]
